Why Albert Pujols Is the King of St. Louis

He's gone now, off to Anaheim, off to cash a quarter-billion dollars worth of paychecks over the next decade. St. Louis is 1,800 miles away from Angel Stadium, but it may as well be in another world for Albert Pujols. Different league, different types of fans, different weather.

Pujols is leaving his comfort zone, heading West to claim his untold riches, partaking in his own personal gold rush. He'll finish out his career in the SoCal sun, far from the Gateway Arch and the city in which he built his legend. Money trumps all. 

But even though he'll wind down his playing days amid the arid heat and L.A. area smog, he's still the king of St. Louis.

What? Detractors will ask. How? Say those who now consider him a villain, a currency-chasing superficial slugger. No way! Allege the crazy ones, who appeared on TV burning $200 replica No. 5s for local TV news. 

But the people have spoken. When Bleacher Report ran a poll asking fans to crown their local king, The Machine was their choice. 

Yes. Think about it.

Is there any player in St. Louis that evokes such raw passion as Pujols? Certainly nobody on the Rams, not with the way they're hobbling around hurt these days. And the Blues? Come on, half the residents inside city limits would need Google to name a player on that team. 

Then there's Albert. He arrived a heralded prospect and delivered with dividends. MVPs, All-Star seasons, a pair of World Series titles—he came through, season after season after season. He played the upswing and the prime of his career in St. Louis, crushing balls before the devoted at Busch Stadium. 

He gave the Gateway City his best years before walking away and burdening the Angles with his GDP-sized contract and steadily declining numbers. St. Louis fans had—and will remember and eventually memorialize—the 20-something Pujols: Young, strong, confident. Anaheim will remember the 40-year-old Albert: Slow, DH, warning-track power. 

Cardinals and city residents made out great here. The Cardinals can still contend, especially because they'll be able to better spread that Pujols money around. The fans will still show up, too. St. Louis' baseball passion is near the top in the country. Busch Stadium will still be packed. And when you walk around the concourse, don't be surprised to see plenty of Pujols jerseys still on fans' backs.